Hi to everyone!
Today I will talk to u about the water of San Giovanni, I lived in Bologna for big part of my life so when I moved in San Giovanni in Persiceto I tried to discover more things possible to be integrated here, and belive me it wasn’t easy.
So I tried to take more informations of my new city from social media of course, this is what I discovered of this ancient tradition.
How is born the water of San Giovanni/St. Johns?
Today it is recognized as a Christian holiday, the celebration of San Giovanni/St. John the Baptist but it has much older origins, it derives from a pagan tradition linked to the summer solstice. This ancient holiday, known as Lithia or Litha, was celebrated around June 21-24, the period in which the sun reaches its peak in the sky, giving the longest day of the year. Pre-Christian populations saw in this astronomical event a moment full of energy and transformation, to be honored with propitiatory rites, dances, songs and above all with the lighting of large bonfires, symbols of the sun and purification. I love bonfires and barbecues, I think it is a sort of ancestral connection with our ancestors, they were and are moments of sharing. In the transition from pagan to Christian religion, many of the symbolic elements of these celebrations were absorbed and reinterpreted. The Church decided to set the birth of Saint John the Baptist on June 24, the only saint, besides Jesus and Mary, whose birth is celebrated rather than his death in symbolic correspondence with the solstice.
Traditionally, the celebration also served to protect and bless the crops. In June, in fact, nature is at the height of its luxuriance, but at the same time vulnerable: it is the period of the first harvests, but also of possible violent meteorological phenomena, such as hailstorms and drought. In recent years "thanks" to climate change, Emilia Romagna has seen strong hailstorms, typhoons, tornadoes, floods, practically every type of catastrophic natural event now happens here. Being a farmer must be really difficult now. For this reason, in the past, purification and protection rites were held, which included the use of magical herbs (such as St. John's wort), propitiatory dances and, of course, night bonfires, whose ashes were often scattered in the fields to wish for fertility and abundance. If you happen to have a barbecue, never throw away the ash, it can be a useful fertilizer for various species of plants, especially those that require slightly alkaline soil, such as tomatoes, aubergines and broccoli, but also fruits such as cherries and grapes. I save it for every BBQ and then spread it on the plants.
But let's go back to the origins, it is said that an ancient popular legend tells that on the night between June 23 and 24, the gods made the souls of newborns pass in the form of dew. For this reason, the "dew of San Giovanni" was (and still is) considered miraculous and was collected before dawn to be used in herbal preparations, cosmetics or for healing and protection rituals. It was believed that washing with it conferred health, beauty and luck for the year to come. When I first read about this, I felt a sort of connection and I saw myself as the ancestors collecting the dew and enjoying the solstice.
In many regions of Italy and Europe, the night of San Giovanni is considered a magical moment, in which the veil between the natural world and the supernatural thins. I only discovered this custom in San Giovanni in Persiceto, in Bologna I don't think anyone knows it. Even today, in various towns, collective rites are celebrated that unite the sacred and the profane, Christianity and ancient beliefs, on one of the most evocative nights of the year.
What is the water of San Giovanni?
Preparing San Giovanni’s water is very easy, you just have to collect a mix of flowers and wild herbs (edible and not stinging), which must be strictly picked on June 23rd after sunset, put them in a bowl with water and leave everything outside for the whole night.
In this way, the dew will work its "magic", and will wet this special water with its energy.
So to recap, take a glass or copper bowl, fill it with water and the collected flowers and leave it outside all night.
In the morning, collect the scented water and use it to wash ur face.
U can also pour the water before using it in many bottles to give to friends, the only rule is that it must be used by June 24th to be considered still full of magic.
Which flowers to choose?
There are many flowers that can be used and you can let yourself be guided by nature.
However, due to seasonality, it is easy to find yourself picking: St. John's wort, mallow, rose, mint, lavender, mugwort, sage, rosemary, poppy, daisy and elderberry.
The important thing is that they are not stinging or poisonous plants, so if you have oleander at home, leave it where it is, it is a very poisonous plant.
In reality, there are many poisonous plants, you always have to check to be sure.
Hope u enjoyed knowing about this Italian tradition, what do you do for the solstice? One of my many dreams is to travel the world during the holidays, to discover traditions around the world.
Like always feel free to share it with everyone.
To all my subscribers THANK U! U ARE AWESOME!
To all the other I love u anyway but what are u waiting for? It’s free!
Hope u will have a wonderful day and a great solstice!
Laura ❤️
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